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1 year ago in Peer Review By Sumitra R
What is "peer review fraud" and how can authors and editors prevent it?
I've heard of cases where authors suggested fake reviewer emails to editors, who then sent review requests to the authors themselves. How does this fraud work, and what can I do as an author or a new editor to ensure it doesn't happen with my manuscript or journal?
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By Batte Answered 1 year ago
Peer review fraud typically occurs when authors suggest "reviewers" with fabricated names and email addresses they control, leading to glowing, fraudulent reviews. To prevent this as an author, only suggest genuine, independent experts, ideally with institutional (.edu, .ac.uk) email addresses. As an editor or journal, robust practices include: independently verifying suggested reviewers (checking their publication record, confirming their email via institutional websites), avoiding the use of Gmail/Yahoo addresses for reviewers, and initiating all review invitations directly from the journal system. Many publishers now use ORCID integration to authenticate identities. Vigilance is key; a sudden influx of positive reviews from new, unverifiable accounts is a major red flag. Upholding review integrity protects the journal's reputation and the entire scholarly enterprise.
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